Queen of New Orleans
by Periodic Brilliance
Summary: After Elena escapes and heads on a cross-country killing spree, with the Salvatore brothers hot on her heels, Caroline becomes friends with non-other than Katherine Pierce. Katherine pushes Caroline to New Orleans and Klaus. Eventual Klaroline and Kalijah. Definitely no Moon-Moon and/or magic baby.
1. Chapter 1

6

Caroline is slumped against the table, glass of bourbon in front of her. The bottle next to it is almost empty. It had taken three, but she was finally starting to feel numb. She welcomed the feeling.

"You're pathetic sometimes, you know?"

Caroline tilts her head to look at the speaker. "Katherine."

"The one and only." Katherine slides into the booth across from Caroline.

"Oh shut up. You'd be drinking too if, once again, everything came back to Elena." She slurs. "Elena, and her golden vagina."

"Stefan bailed on you, didn't he? He never could resist playing hero."

"We were supposed to open my college package from Tulane together."

Katherine gestures for her to continue as she snags a tumbler of her own, "And?"

"And…and Damon caved, because he's a moron, and gave Elena blood. And she still has her emotions off so she's a giant bitch." She focuses on Katherine. "Seriously. You're super nice, like Mother Teresa nice, compared to her right now."

Katherine gives a throaty laugh. "I'm always nicer than Elena. But go on."

"And now she's on some sort of cross-country killing spree, sans ripper tendencies, and Damon's run after her, and Stefan's run after him so he can clean up the mess they leave. But I'm his sober coach, and he's not picking up his phone, and he's going to go all ripper-y and how the hell am I supposed to go to college when I'm trying to deprogram Stefan?!" Caroline is frantic now. "I'm not Lexi! I can't do this!"

Katherine pours more bourbon for Caroline. "You know, I've never understood Elena's appeal. She's dull. And whiny. And kind of a bitch." She shrugs, "at least I _know_ I'm a bitch."

"She tried to kill me. And Bonnie. And my mom." Caroline looks lost, "I kind of hate her right now." Her eyes water, "does that make me a bad person?"

Katherine stares at her for a moment. "Okay. Enough with the pity party. Come on." She stands and grabs Caroline's wrist, dragging the blonde from the Grill.

"First we're going to your place, and you're going to change. Because I refuse to be seen in public with someone dressed like you are right now." She eyes Caroline's jeans and t-shirt with disgust as they walk. "Second, we're going to sober you up with coffee, and blood. And then we're going to drive to Atlanta for some pampering and a shopping spree." She gives Caroline's wrist a tug, "Let's go, Blondie."

"Don't." Caroline digs her heels in.

Katherine turns around with a bored look. "Don't what? Help you? Be nice? You're going to have to be a little more specific."

"Call me 'Blondie'." Caroline stares at the sidewalk, "Damon called me that." She meets Katherine's eyes, "I don't like being called that."

Katherine gives her a long look, "Alright, Forbes."

They don't speak again until they're in Katherine's convertible, blood bags in a cooler, and coffee in the console.

"Why are you doing this? You hate me." Caroline sucks on the blood bag like it's a juice box.

Katherine's silent. And then, "I know what it's like to be alone. And anyways," she continues, "I'm at least partially your maker. Damon sucks."

"You're telling me."

Katherine grins, "All the more reason for me to take custody. Stefan's alright as a step-daddy, but if you're going to survive, Forbes, you need me."

Caroline looks wary. "Is this some ploy to get back at me for trapping you in a room with Stefan and Damon? Not that I'm sorry about that, but, you know, water under the bridge and all…" She fiddles with the hem of her skirt. "Anyway, their plans never work."

"Forbes, I'm taking you shopping. It's water under the bridge." She smirks, "You were a young, impressionable vampire. It's okay to make mistakes." The silence settles again before, "I'm sorry."

The blonde rests her head against the window, "Me too."

"Katherine, I swear to god, if you try and force me into one more skanky outfit I'll—"

"You'll what? Glare me to death?" Katherine tosses her curls. "It's time to leave the kiddie pool behind, Forbes." Seeing disheartened look on Caroline's face, Katherine changes tactics. "Look, college is supposed to be about new beginnings, right? A fresh start and all. So why not make the most of it?" She throws a leather mini skirt and a hot pink blouse at the blonde. "You can be anyone you want." She steps forward, "And the best part? You've got an eternity to try it all out. Rocker chic, hipster student, pretty little housewife. Anything, any_one_," Katherine corrects herself, "you want. So what do you say, Forbes? Who are you going to be?"

There's a moment where Katherine thinks this won't work. That Caroline's too far gone in her misery, still too wrapped up in Elena to snap out of it. The emotions play out on Caroline's face. It's a weakness, Katherine muses, but not one she's willing to break Caroline of. She makes sure to keep her voice teasing when she says, "Tick tock, Forbes."

Caroline tosses the skirt to the side, and sifts through the rack of clothes, pulling out a pair of black leather pants instead. "I'm not girly little Caroline anymore."

It's hours later, when they're both relaxing in a spa (the entire staff compelled for their comfort) that Katherine mentions Klaus.

"He's moved to New Orleans." When she sees that Caroline isn't going to say anything she continues, "Elijah too. They built that town, ruled it too. Until Mikael drove them out. Klaus wants to be king there again." She settles deeper into the tub. "He's got his work cut out for him though. Marcel isn't going to give up his town so easily."

"What do I care?" Caroline forces herself to keep her eyes closed, her voice nonchalant.

"Oh give it a rest, Forbes. There's nothing wrong with admitting you like someone."

"Now, I'm not saying Klaus is my favourite person. Far from it. But at least you'll always know where you stand with him."

Caroline glances away and doesn't answer.

"Oh for the love of—Forbes, if you don't accept that offer from Tulane, move to New Orleans, and become Queen at Klaus' side, I'll—" Katherine pauses, searching for an appropriate threat. Finally she turns and glares at Caroline. "I'll ground you."

"What?!" Caroline's squawks, sitting up.

Katherine's smile is smug; she's learned that Caroline's reactions are always entertaining. "You heard me. I'm your vampire-mommy. I can do that."

It's hours later, after a night of drinking, and dancing at a club, when they're sitting on the hood of Katherine's convertible that Caroline finally opens her package from Tulane.

"Well?" Katherine is impatient. She doesn't often let people get close, but Caroline has somehow wormed her way in.

"I got in!" Caroline's voice is breathy, and when Katherine looks at her, there are tears in her eyes.

Katherine smiles as Caroline shuffles closer and rests her head on her shoulder. "That's my girl."

6


	2. Graduation

**MYSTIC FALLS**

"You look good, Forbes." Katherine smiled as she took a step back. "Very good."

Caroline smiled. The black satin dress clung to her curves, ending in a pool of materiel at her feet. When she walked, the slit revealed her leg to mid-thigh. It was daringly different, but Caroline felt powerful and sexy. Her hair was pulled back into a French twist (Katherine's doing), and her makeup was as dark and alluring as the dress (also Katherine's doing).  
"You look pretty good too." Caroline said. Katherine, who was impersonating Elena until after graduation, had chosen a navy blue, off the shoulder gown. It was something Elena _might_ have picked. Maybe. Her hair was swept to the side in a low bun, and her makeup was decidedly _Katherine_. Red lips and dark cat eyes make her look exotic.

Grief was allowing Katherine to get away with acting less like Elena and more like herself. Oddly enough, Katherine was a better Elena than _Elena _had been in the last few weeks. She let the town rally around her, the girl who had lost so much in the last two years. In a way it was like receiving sympathy for all that had happened to her in the last five hundred years. It didn't make her_ softer_, but she wasn't as quick to save her own skin. She'd made amends with Matt, and Bonnie. It took a while, but eventually they had accepted Katherine into their lives.

Katherine had collected the insurance money from the fire, emptied the lake house of its hunter paraphernalia and sold it. She'd felt a little twinge of guilt for selling Elena's family home out from under her, but that went away when she thought of how Caroline had been treated. When people asked her what her plans were after graduation, she simply said "I plan to travel. I think a change of scenery will do me good before I make any big decisions." Oddly enough, Katherine was making Elena into more of a golden girl than she had been.

"Girls! It's photo time!" Liz called up to them.

Navigating the stairs in heels and a long gown was tricky, even for a pair of vampires, but eventually they stood in the foyer while Liz took photos.

"You look beautiful, Caroline." Her mom hugged her close. "So grown up."

Liz turned to Katherine, "I'm counting on you to keep her out of trouble, Katherine."

Katherine nodded. She hadn't thought she would grow to like Liz Forbes, for all that she was Caroline's mother. Their first meeting a few weeks ago had been awkward to say the least. Liz would have rather shot Katherine full of wooden bullets than invite her in. Eventually, Caroline managed to convince her mother that Katherine could be trusted. Things had been tense at first, what with "Elena" living with the Forbes', but Liz had grown to like Katherine. She was funny, and had a strange habit of putting Caroline's needs before her own. Liz couldn't remember the last time Elena had done that.

The doorbell rang, announcing Matt's arrival, complete with two corsages. After more pictures, and hugs for all of them from Liz, they headed to the dance.

If anyone at prom though it was odd that Matt Donovan showed up with his ex-girlfriends as his dates, they didn't say it out loud. The three danced the night away, before Matt drove the two girls home. Liz had left a light on, and a note saying that the couch was made up for Matt, and that they'd have a pancake breakfast to celebrate the next morning.

The rest of the school year passed in a blur of studying, and getting ready to head off to college. Bonnie had been accepted to NYU's history program, Matt was off to UCLA on a football scholarship, and Caroline was headed down to New Orleans. June was filled with tearful goodbyes, promises to Skype at least once a week, and text all the time. Even though they'd all been through so much together, Caroline wondered if they'd stay as close as they said.

Caroline scrunched her nose as she ran the tape gun across the last open box. Even with her super-hearing turned off, it still hurt her ears. When _Little Bunny Foo Foo_ began blaring out of her phone, she scrambled across the room to answer it.

"Hello? Stefan?! Where _are_ you?!" Caroline could hardly contain her excitement. She hadn't heard from Stefan since he and Damon had left to follow Elena.

"Out West. I can't talk long, I just wanted to tell you that Damon's flipped the switch now too. I'm basically their janitor." He waited for Caroline to comment, and when she didn't, he plowed on. "Look, I don't know what you've told your mom, and everyone else. But Elena isn't coming back. Not for a_ long_ time."

"It's okay, Stefan. I said she transferred to Colorado to stay with family there. She'd graduate next year." The lie slipped from Caroline's mouth with ease. Was she spending too much time with Katherine, she wondered?

"Good. Look, I gotta go. I just got a lead on where Elena and Damon are now. Probably bathing in the blood of innocents again."

"Of course." Caroline kept her voice cheerful. "Call me when you can."

"Yeah. Goodbye, Caroline."

Caroline waited until the line was dead before saying, "Goodbye, Stefan."

When she looked up, Katherine was standing in the doorway. "How much of that did you hear?" Caroline asked.

"Enough." she took a step forward. "Caroline… if you want to talk…"

"Nope." Caroline's curls bounced as she shook her head. "There's nothing I can do about it. The Salvatore's are _never_ going to _not_ be with Elena. They can't help it." She shrugged. "If Stefan is going to put his ex-girlfriend before his friends, and play clean-up crew for her and his brother, while they go on a cross-country killing spree, that's fine. He can do whatever he wants. What do I care? It's not like I was there for him when he needed me. I didn't become his sober coach or anything." Caroline was babbling now, and tears formed in her eyes.

Katherine stepped forward and pulled Caroline into a hug. "You're wrong, you know. Stefan's not following Elena. He's following Damon."

Caroline pulled away and moved to sit on her bed.

"Until those two sort out everything that's between them, that was there even _before_ I showed up, this is never going to end." Katherine said as she sat next to Caroline. She wished she could stop Caroline from hurting, but some things had to be _lived_. There was no getting around that.

"I don't care about Elena. _Or_ Damon. Humanity on or off, he's still the same abusive asshole he always was…" Caroline trailed off when she realised what she'd said.

Beside her Katherine stiffened. "And just _how_ do you know Damon's an abusive asshole, Caroline?"

Scoffing, Caroline went to stand up but Katherine's grip on her wrist stopped her. "Caroline." Katherine's voice was like steel. "What happened between you and Damon?"

"We dated. He was a jerk. I dumped him. End of story." Caroline couldn't meet Katherine's eyes.

"Details, Forbes. _Now._" Katherine growled.

"I didn't realise what had happened until you turned me. Until the memories started coming back." Now she forced herself to meet Katherine's eyes. "He fed on me, abused me verbally and physically, compelled me to act how he wanted, to say yes when I didn't want to, to stay with him. And when he was done, he threw me away like a broken toy." She tore her wrist from Katherine's grasp. "And then Elena when Elena started dating him, she acted like I wasn't allowed to be worried. Like I couldn't tell her that he was an asshole, because I slept with him. Obviously she knew him better than me." Caroline was practically yelling now.

"Caroline?" Liz was standing in the hallway. "Everything alright?" Her eyes jumped to Katherine.

Before Caroline could answer Katherine spoke, "Did you know that Damon was abusing Caroline?" Her eyes were hard.

"What?!" Liz looked at Caroline. "Caroline! Why didn't you tell me?"

"How could I? You're so strong, and I couldn't even get out of a shitty relationship, and—and—" Here Caroline started to cry. Liz moved forward and pulled her into her arms.

"Shhhh. Sweetie, it's okay. It's okay. None of this is your fault. Do you understand me? None of this."

Katherine left the room while Liz comforted Caroline. Her blood was boiling. She knew Damon was a dick, but this? This was a new low. Hypocritical as it was Katherine was livid over his treatment of Caroline while she was human. How _dare_ he? she thought. Rolling her shoulders, she pulled out her phone. She had some favours to call in…

**NEW ORLEANS**

"It's done, brother." Elijah adjusted his suit coat as he walked into the parlour. Klaus was staring into the fire. "Silas is dead." He sniffed with distaste. "For the first immortal he certainly was easy to kill." When Klaus didn't answer he pressed on. "I was the right thing to do, Niklaus."

"Hayley is pregnant with my child." He whispered. "The witches confirmed it."

"That's quite impossible, Niklaus. You know that as well as I do. Vampires _cannot_ procreate."

"Well, there's never been a hybrid before, has there?" Klaus snarked.

Elijah sighed. It was going to take a lot of work to convince Klaus that the child wasn't his. It _couldn't _be. To be a vampire you had to die. The dead can't reproduce, latent werewolf tendencies or not. His phone buzzing in his pocket made him leave Klaus to his brooding.

The name on the call display made him smile. "Katerina. To what do I owe this pleasure?"


	3. New Orleans

**MYSTIC FALLS**

"Promise me you'll come and visit?" Caroline stood in front of her new '66 convertible Mustang V8. It was red, and a gift from Katherine. Apparently Caroline's Ford Fiat was a crime against good taste.

"Of course I will, Forbes." Katherine smiled, "I'll just have to sneak in and out. Nothing I haven't done before."

Caroline bounced on the balls of her feet. "I'm going to miss you so much. What if I don't make any friends? What if I'm _horrible_ at communications? What if I _FAIL_? What if—" She was cut off by Katherine's hand across her mouth.

"Forbes, you worry too much. You are amazing, and everything you do will be amazing." She scrunched up her nose, "And now that you've got me sounding like Hallmark card, it's time for you to hit the road. You remember what I told you about Marcel and Klaus?"

Caroline nodded. She had no intentions of getting in the middle of a war. "I'm just there for school. And don't mouth off to Marcel because he'll kill me." She recited. Katherine had been adamant that while Marcel might find her amusing, he wasn't in love with her. Which meant killing her if she annoyed him was still an option.

"Alright. Call me when you've got a place." Katherine pulled Caroline in for a hug before stepping back to let Liz have her turn.

"I am going to miss you so much, Caroline. I'm so proud of you." Liz hugged Caroline close. "If you need anything, anything at all, you call me, okay?"

"I love you too."

With that, Caroline slid into her car, and pulled out of the driveway. With one last look at her childhood home, she waved, and left Mystic Falls.

**NEW ORLEANS**

Caroline walked around the downstairs of the house. It was _perfect_. She'd discovered the house in the Garden District by accident her first night there. She'd aimlessly driven around the streets before the pale yellow, three-story house, complete with "For Sale" sign caught her eye. Turning to the current owner of the house, who was sizing her up, she asked, "Why is still furnished? Aren't the you going to need all of this?"

"My great-great-aunt was a bit of a recluse. I live in L.A." He shrugged, "I just want the house sold." Flipping his blonde hair, he eyed her critically. "I don't see how you can afford my asking price though." When Caroline narrowed her eyes he added, "No offense."

Caroline's smile was saccharine, "Like this." Her eyes caught his and the compulsion took hold. "You're going to sell me this house for a hundred bucks. Everything in it stays. And you're going to do that right now. Understand?"

The blonde nodded. "Sure. Let me get the deed."

"Great! I'll get my chequebook." Caroline said in her best cheerleader voice.

An hour later, Caroline owned her first home. With ease she brought her suitcases in and set them in the master bedroom. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she called her mother.

"Hey, Mom! Is Katherine still there with you?"

"She's right here, let me put you on speaker."

There was some rustling and then Katherine's voice came through the line's with Liz's.

"So? Do you have a house yet, Forbes?

"Yup! It's the most _beautiful_ house I've ever seen. It's yellow and near campus, and it's just…perfect."

Liz and Katherine both laughed. Apparently New Orleans was pushing Caroline back into her old bubbly self.

"I hope you at least paid for it." Liz admonished. She knew that Katherine had encouraged Caroline to use the perks of being a vampire, but she didn't want her daughter being a criminal if she could help it.

"Mom! Of course I paid for it!" Caroline was full of faux outrage. Paid for, yes. The right price? No.

Liz sighed. "Just promise me you'll stay out of trouble?"

"I will. If I text you my address, can you ship all my stuff here?"

"Of course. Maybe I'll even send Katherine down with it." Liz joked, while Katherine gave her a dry look.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Liz."

"Be nice you two." Caroline teased. "I have to go get ready now, but I'll text you later, okay?"

"Alright. Be safe, sweetie."

"I will. I love you both."

After a long soak in her new claw-footed tub, Caroline rifled through her suitcases, trying to find something to meet Marcel in.

"Too slutty. Too prudish. Too girly. Too androgynous." Clothes were flung all over the room. "Think, Caroline, think!" She paced the room in her matching black lace bra and panties. "Okay. Start with the shoes. You have less of those." She eyed her much diminished shoe collection before settling on the hot pink stilettos. She paired that with black leather pants that clung to her curves, a sheer black, sleeveless blouse, and a black leather jacket. Light makeup finished off the look. With one last look in the mirror she grabbed her purse, stuffed her phone and house keys in it, and strutted from the room.

Stepping into the bar, Caroline felt at least a dozen eyes on her. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she walked up to the bar. The girl behind it was busying relaying food orders to the kitchen, but when she finally turned around, Caroline leaned forward. "I'm looking for Marcel."

"What do you want with Marcel?" A voice behind her growled before the girl could answer.

Slowly, Caroline turned around. Three vampires had her cornered against the bar. "I'm new in town. I came to introduce myself to the King."

The three exchanged looks before the tallest said, "Come with us."

"Well, now. It's not every day I get to meet a pretty little baby vamp. Especially one with such good manners." Marcel smirked.

Keeping her voice neutral, Caroline said, "I'm just here for school. I'm enrolled at Tulane, in their communications program. I just bought a place in the Garden District." She paused for effect. "Katherine says hi, by the way."

Marcel cocked his head. "Now how does a baby vamp like you know Katherine Pierce?"

Caroline's smile turned flirty. "She's my maker."

Marcel laughed, showing his teeth. "Well I'll be god damned." He looked at her appraisingly. "So you're from Mystic Falls then?"

Caroline stilled. How had he known that? "Yes."

"Then you must know Klaus."

Caroline pursed her lips. "I do."

Marcel studied her. "Oh, I bet you do, Baby Vamp." He took a step forward, "Are you planning on joining him in his little crusade to take back the Quarter?"

Caroline shook her head. "I'm here for school. Not to get involved in whatever's going on between you two." She took a deep breath and continued, "Klaus and I have…history. Doesn't mean I'm going to support him being an idiot."

Marcel smiled. "You know. I believe you mean that. Alright, Baby Vamp. You're welcome here. Just stay out of trouble, and out of politics, and no one will bother you."

Caroline nodded and turned to leave.

"You're not even going to ask me where he's staying?" Marcel's eyes were unreadable when she turned back around.

"Would you tell me if I did?"

Marcel took a step forward. "There's things you don't know about Klaus. A lot's happened since he came back to the Quarter. A lot's changed. You might not like what you find, Baby Vamp."

Caroline stared at him. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

* * *

Caroline fought the urge to fidget as she waited for the door to open. It had only been four months since she had last seen Klaus. How different could he be?

The door swung open to reveal Hayley. "What are you doing here?" Her nasally voice snarked.

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here, you little were-slut?!"

"I'm having Klaus' baby." Hayley rubbed a hand over the bulge in her belly and smirked, "Didn't he tell you?"

"You little bitch." Caroline took a step forward to grab Hayley by the throat when a voice stopped her.

"Caroline." Klaus stood further back in the foyer. His eyes flicked between her and Hayley. "What are you doing here, love?"

"I'm here for school."

"I wasn't aware that my house was now a college campus." Klaus was sardonic. He came forward and laid a hand on Hayley's shoulder.

Caroline looked between them. Klaus' face was like stone. Hayley's was full of triumph.

"Seriously? You're a thousand years old, and actually that stupid?"

"The baby is mine, Caroline." Klaus' voice was steel.

"Right. Fine. I wish you hundreds of fat babies then." Turning on her heel, Caroline vamped back to her house. Pulling a forty-pounder[1] of bourbon from the liquor cabinet she sped up to her room before locking herself in her walk-in closet. She could barely see through her tears to dial Katherine's number.

"Caroline? What's wrong? Why are you crying? Did Marcel threaten you?" Katherine rushed. Caroline crying was her kryptonite, and the faster she fixed whatever was wrong, the better it was for her.

Between sobs, and long pulls of bourbon, Caroline managed to get the story out. When she was finished, Katherine was silent.

"That idiot. Why would he even—unless the witches…. Ohhhhh, Marcel is _not_ going to be happy with this."

Caroline took a swig from the now half-empty bottle. "I'm not telling him. I'm supposed to stay _out_ of politics." She chugged some more.

"Don't be silly, Forbes. _I'm_ going to tell him. As for Klaus." Caroline could hear Katherine's shrug. "Just go on with your new life in New Orleans. He'll be stalking you soon enough. Go put the bottle away, Forbes, wash your face, and get to bed. In the morning, go sign up for a bunch of tours of the Quarter and the campus. Get involved. Live your life, or so help me I will drive down there and drag you out kicking and screaming if I have to."

Caroline gulped. Katherine never made idle threats. "Okay. Okay. Bottle's going away. And I'm going to bed."

The first month of school passed by in a blur. Caroline knew the campus, the Garden District, and most of the Quarter like the back of her hand now. Her classes were new and exciting, but she had to admit that she might have gone a little overboard with her colour-coded notes and study schedule. The only dark spot was the original vampire who hung about in her periphery. At first she'd thought she was hallucinating, but by the third time it had happened Caroline had realised that Klaus was following her. Not always, and never for long periods of time, but sometimes she'd look up and catch a glimpse of him across the quad, or down the street, or in the crowd on Bourbon street. Taking Katherine's advice she ignored him. If he was stupid enough to believe Hayley's lies, she wanted nothing to do with him.

Later in the week, she had some friend from her Media Relations class over to study. Escorting them back into the study, with its red brick floors, and dark leather furniture, Caroline was suddenly shy. What if they thought she was weird for living alone like this instead of living in a dorm on campus?

"Holy crap." Jesse's eyes bugged out. "You live here all by yourself?"

Caroline shrugged. "My mom and I inherited it from some distant aunt or something. Mom figured that since I was going to school here, it would be cheaper than living on campus."

"Tell your mom thanks." Jesse grinned as he flopped onto one of the leather couches, his skin blending in with the material.

Marjolaine, who they all called Laine, and Antoine found places on the couches around the room. "This place is seriously awesome, Care." Laine said, while Antoine nodded in agreement.

Caroline shrugged and smiled. "I'm just going to grab some snacks. Don't start without me!" She bounced from the room. Studying had always had a strange effect on her.

While she in the kitchen putting together a plate of snacks, the doorbell rang. Groaning, Caroline walked to the door and pulled it open. Her mouth fell open, "What are _you_ doing here!?"

[1] A forty-pounder is a common term in Canada for a bottle that contains forty-ounces. Even though we use the metric system. A mickey is 13 ounces, and a two-six is 26.


End file.
